


Meet Me in the Woods

by ACommonAnomaly (RowanBaines)



Series: As Little Might Be Thought [3]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: First Age, Monsters, Violence, can't a guy have a nice stroll through a creepy forest, elrond and elros are there if you squint, halloween themed, without being stalked by scary things?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 07:03:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12551832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowanBaines/pseuds/ACommonAnomaly
Summary: There ain't language for the things I've seen, yeahAnd the truth is stranger than my own worst dreams





	Meet Me in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> A short creepy thing I wrote for Halloween, also posted on my [tumblr](http://acommonanomaly.tumblr.com/).

Alagnir looked over his shoulder, and though his keen eyes detected nothing moving beneath the trees, he pushed himself to move more quickly.

When the Host of the Valar had arrived, hope had kindled in his heart, but the battle raged on and Alagnir could see no end in sight.

His leg gave a twinge of pain as he jumped over the jutting root of a tree, but he ignored it. Though he sorely regretted the loss of his horse, he had been outnumbered by the Enemy and was lucky to have escaped with his life.

The forest around him was dense, and beneath the trees it remained dark, though Alagnir knew that the sun was shining somewhere above him. He needed to get back to the encampment quickly if he hoped to survive. There was a dizzying foulness in the air and the darkness seemed to drain the vitality from his very spirit. He did not know if he had the strength to successfully defend himself from another attack.

When his footsteps faltered over a broken patch of earth, he slowed and looked again over his shoulder and then all around him.

There was something following him, of that he was certain.

This presence, whatever it was, had been steadily drawing nearer. Although he had yet to catch sight of it, he could feel the anger it carried like a chill against his skin. He started to run again, but he stopped when he heard a twig snap somewhere near him.

He peered between the shadowy shapes of trees, but still nothing moved. Whatever was tracking him knew to stop when he did, and he wondered how close it was now.

Wind rustled the leaves far above him, and a few beams of sunlight broke through to speckle the forest floor.

His heart skipped a beat.

For just a moment the light had glinted off something metallic, like a spark in the night.

Not yet daring to turn his head and face his pursuer, he let his gaze drift toward the place where he had seen the glinting light. There was something there, a looming shape half-hidden by a tree. The foulness in the air grew thick around him, and he realized what it was: pure malevolence. Whatever it was that watched him seethed with so much loathing that it spread outward in pulses like the beat of a heart.

Out of the corner of his eye, the hazy outline became more apparent, and Alagnir slowly turned his head.

The presence, apparently realizing that he had spotted it, moved closer. Around him the trees creaked and groaned, as though they would pull back if they could.

Alagnir gasped in surprise when he realized the approaching figure was an elf. He was lithe and tall, and his eyes shone from beneath his hood with a strange but beautiful light. Alagnir might have spoken to him, but the figure became clearer as he drew close, and Alagnir saw pinned on the cloak that which had glimmered in the dark.

It was the Star of the House of Fëanor.

Only two sons of that cursed house remained. Alagnir knew by the dark hair and deadly twin blades, and by the miasma of hatred surrounding him, that it was Maglor who now approached him through shadow.

This one was rumored to be heartless, a cold-blooded and efficient killer. How could he be otherwise, given the deeds attributed to him? He had ruthlessly pursued his oath, killing his kin and even stealing away children.

Looking into Maglor’s steely and determined face, Alagnir felt his heart twist at the thought of the twin boys who had been snatched from their home at the Havens. If they had not been killed in the years since the attack, then they were being raised by a monster.

Alagnir had no hope that he could defeat such an opponent, and he only hoped his death would be a swift one.

Maglor’s voice rang out, sharp and cold as ice, “You will regret coming here.”

The malice in the air seemed to swell, and as Maglor raised his blades in a quick, graceful sweep, Alagnir drew his own sword.

Maglor leapt at him, and Alagnir spun aside.

Alagnir whirled to face his opponent, but his heart clenched in terror when a booming howl of animal pain split the air.

He watched in shock as Maglor drove back a misshapen wolf-life creature with quick slashes of his swords. The beast reared up on its hind legs, it’s spine crackling, and in the foaming maw of it’s mouth jagged teeth gleamed. It let out another heart stopping howl, and when it lunged Maglor spun and dodged the snapping teeth and swiping claws.

Here in this beast, this _monster_ , churned the seething hatred that had pursued Alagnir through these woods. This is what had followed so close behind him as he ran.

Maglor circled the creature with a dancer’s grace, his face a cool mask as his eyes tracked every movement of the snarling creature. He sang words with a fierce and piercing power, and the creature’s fur bristled as it tossed its massive head in confusion. Its scarred grey skin oozed inky blood, and it’s rolling eyes grew wide when Malgor crossed both swords against its throat and then whipped them up and outwards.

The creature fell. It gurgled out its last breaths while it clawed and thrashed on the ground, and Alagnir was relieved when it finally went still.

Maglor wiped the blood from his swords with a rag, and when he had sheathed them strode over to where Alagnir now leaned against a tree.

“It was lucky for you that you came this way,” Malgor said in a voice that was soft as silk but sure. As he pulled a pouch from his belt and opened it, he added, “Unlucky for the creature, though; its presence here threatened that which is most dear to me.”

When Alagnir only gaped at him, Maglor said, “Sit. That wound needs to be properly bandaged before you continue on your way.”

Alagnir sat and allowed his wound to be treated as he struggled to calm his still pounding heart. Maglor’s hands were swift, and he was already tying off the bandage when Alagnir finally found his voice.

“Th-thank you.”

Maglor dipped his head in acknowledgement but then stood and pointed into the forest. “If you go this way, you will reach your companions.”

Alagnir stood and gingerly tested his weight on the injured leg. “You know where they are?”

Maglor only smiled faintly and then said, “Quickly, now. Once the sun has set, the darkness in this part of the forest will be absolute.”

Though Maglor had just saved his life, Alagnir found his calm, almost serene demeanor unnerving. He turned to look in the direction Maglor had indicated and saw that, although he was not too far off his path, he would likely have become lost had he continued in the direction he had been going.

When he turned back to bid him farewell, Maglor was gone.

Wasting no more time, he began to run again, more swiftly than before.

Fore some time he felt that he was being followed again, though he felt no malice now and even thought he heard playful laughter echo around him. For a moment he fancied he saw twin shadows darting between the trees, tall and yet lanky with youth, but he did not slow his pace or call out to them.

If there were young ones here, they were not without protection.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [Nixie_Genesis](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_Genesis) for looking over this for me!
> 
> Title and lyrics are from the song [Meet Me In The Woods](https://youtu.be/d5axbaGBVto), by Lord Huron.


End file.
